


blue and green, red and yellow

by cryptidsoap



Category: SEVENTEEN (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Hogwarts, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Light Angst, M/M, Multi, Will add tags as I go, a little violence and bullying but nothing major, established jihancheol, mentions of past abusive relationship
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-10-03
Updated: 2018-09-15
Packaged: 2019-01-08 12:09:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 13,905
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12254118
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cryptidsoap/pseuds/cryptidsoap
Summary: wonwoo and mingyu make new friends, and that's how the story starts. it develops from there, into something neither of them expected.(title is staying like this. i got attached.)





	1. in which there are unplanned meetings and one peculiar question

**Author's Note:**

> um hi. me again. i have a lot of WIPs. this is one of them, multichaptered this time!! yeah i hope i can go through with this  
> anyway a little thing before you read: the age/year system here is not the same as the one in the original story bUT its nothing too drastic just like,, a 1-2 years difference. idk if i made myself clear. what i meant was: 7th years are older than 17, 6th years are older than 16 etc. tbh its up to you  
> (my reference while writing, however, was 17-18 for 6th years n 18-19 for 7th years. whatever floats ur boat)
> 
> oof that was a handful but here it is i hope you enjoy!!

  
Sixth year is going to be a blast, they said. Sneaking some firewhisky in the common room, wild parties, quidditch, more parties...

To be quite honest, the only blast Kim Mingyu wanted was to blast the fuck out of this classroom and collapse into his bed. Sixth year classes were hard, the ghost of next year's N.E.W.T's was already breathing down his neck, firewhisky tasted like crap, he never got out of a party without someone's tongue down his throat and quidditch was starting to get stressful.

At least he had his friends. There was Wonwoo, his childhood friend, a seventh-year Ravenclaw. There was Seokmin, from Hufflepuff, his seatmate in Potions class. There was Seungcheol, Gryffindor's head boy, and his boyfriends — yes, plural — Jeonghan and Jisoo, also head boys of their houses, Slytherin and Hufflepuff. There were Hansol and Chan, a year below him, and Soonyoung, a year above, from Gryffindor. There was Jihoon, Ravenclaw's head boy, that somehow got roped into his weird group of friends, and there was Seungkwan, fifth year, from Hufflepuff.

He had a lot of friends, some of which he was closer to than the others, but overall they were pretty tight. Two weeks into the school year and Mingyu could already tell that they would be the only thing that would make this year bearable.

When the class finally ended, Mingyu fulfilled his wish to blast out of the room, almost tripping at least two people in the process. He ran to the Gryffindor common room, but in the middle of reaching his goal he stopped.

He was passing through a particularly quiet and empty part of the castle in this hour of the day, so he was surprised to hear voices. He followed the noise and found a group of three or so boys cornering another person. He didn't bother to see which houses they were from — they seemed hostile, and that was what mattered most at the moment.

There seemed to be no physical violence happening, just harsh words and insults thrown at the person being cornered. Mingyu was able to make out some of them as he approached:

"You're fucking weird, it's what you are."

"Learn to speak a fucking language, what did you came here for if you can't do it?"

"You don't belong here, take your weird cat and your weird earrings and get the fuck out."

The person didn't seem bothered or hurt by the words, but they were still being cornered, so Mingyu decided to interfere.

"Leave them alone, come on, there's no need to say such things."

The tallest of the bullies turned to him, raising an eyebrow.

"Do you have something to do with this? Did we invite you?"

"No, but I can't let a person be told such things. I'm pretty sure they don't deserve it."

"Well, do you know him?"

Mingyu shook his head.

"Then back off. This is between us and Elf here."

"I can't just back off! You're cornering someone in an empty corridor, three against one, and asking me to back off?"

"Like I said, you have nothing to do with this."

"Ok, I hate to pull the rat-out card, but look. If you leave him alone, I won't tell the Headmistress what I'm witnessing right now."

"Would she believe you if you did, though?"

"I don't know, would she? Do you know who I am?"

"Some wannabe superhero or some shit. Third warning, leave us be. There won't be a fourth."

"Well, ok, third warning, let him go, or the Headmistress will know that three shitheads were bullying someone and threatening her _nephew_ when he told them to stop."

There was a gasp, a quiet "oh fuck" and the kid was released. The bullies walked away, not without yelling swear words at both Mingyu and the other boy.

Speaking of him...

"Are you okay? Did they hurt you?" Mingyu turned to him.

He shook his head. He was tall — not as tall as Mingyu, though — with brown hair, soft features, round eyes, cute nose and a black and yellow tie. His ears were adorned by beautiful dangly jade earrings that sparkled when the light hit them.

"I'm okay, I could have handled that by myself, you know." his voice was soft, with a noticeable accent. "My name is Xu Minghao."

"Kim Mingyu." they shook hands.

"You're not the Headmistress' nephew."

Mingyu chuckled. "I know. But I was convincing enough."

"Yeah, right. Thank you for that, even though I had the situation under control."

"No problem." a beat. "Is that a... you know, a common occurance?"

"It is." Minghao shrugged. "When you come from another country, learn a whole new language but still mess up sometimes, wear earrings with colorful stones, own a black cat and don't really fit your house's stereotype, I guess people get a little pissed at you."

"I'm sorry to hear that." Mingyu tried to sound as truthful as possible because, well, he was. "What's your cat's name?"

"Miss Cleopatra Mittens."

"... Well, that's a handful."

"My stupid best friend had always wanted a cat named Mittens, but his aunt gave him a toad instead, so he made me call _my_ cat Mittens. But I couldn't call her just that, could I?"

"I suppose not. What's the toad's name?"

"Motherfucking George Sprinkles. The 'Motherfucking' is part of the name, it was my courtesy. I just call him 'Motherfucker' for short."

"That's interesting." they both laughed. "Well, it was nice to meet you, Minghao."

"Yeah, same thing goes for you."

"See you around?"

"Sure."

"Stay safe."

"I will."

"Bye!"

With that, they went their separate ways, and Mingyu couldn't help but wonder how he's never seen this boy before.

Minghao was truly something else.

-•-

The library was peaceful, the library was quiet, the library was warm, cozy and had a nice lighting. In short, the library was everything Jeon Wonwoo could ask for when he needed a break.

Most of his friends were at quidditch practice and, since he wasn't one for sports and wasn't in the mood to watch the practice (the chilly wind outside had something to do with it), he stayed in the castle.

He could get some homework done and live up to the — admittedly wrong — "model student" image people had of him. He could randomly choose a book about herbs and discover new information he probably won't ever need. He could try to read "Hogwarts, a history" for the nth time even though he knew he wouldn't get to chapter two without falling asleep 3 times. There were plenty of things to do at the library, yet he found himself rereading his favorite fantasy book.

You couldn't blame him; it was a very good book. He had always enjoyed well-written female protagonists and complex plot, and the book had both of those items without falling into the awful clichés some fantasy books tended to fall into.

He was already three chapters in, wondering what time it was, if his friends were back, if he had missed dinner, when someone plopped onto the other end of the window seat he was sitting in — his favorite spot, amazing view, 10/10 would recommend — and put a hand over the book to lower it and bring Wonwoo's attention to them instead.

He lifted his head a little to see who had such an urge to talk to him that was resorting to interrupt his peaceful reading time.

He didn't know the boy. He figured he must've been a seventh year like himself, but that was it. Wonwoo was sure he would remember if he had crossed paths with a face like that, with all due respect. He had spent less than five seconds looking at the boy and was positive those almond eyes were engraved into his mind forever.

He didn't know the boy, and maybe that's why he was so surprised when he heard the words coming out of his mouth, spoken in a desperate tone despite the soft velvety voice:

"Please be my boyfriend."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> whoop whoop cliche cliffhanger y'all cliche is my middle name  
> feedback is appreciated!! thank u for reading, see you next chapter ✨


	2. in which there's a reencounter and some clarifications

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this chapter was already written so i thought why not post it right now to spare you guys the wait after a cliffhanger? yeah so here it is
> 
> important: theres a mention of a past abusive relationship in this chapter, its a lowkey thing but still read carefully if it triggers you!! take care <3
> 
> enjoy!!

His ears were fine. His hearing was perfectly good. He just couldn't believe what he had just heard, it's all.

"Excuse me?" he asked, just to make sure.

The boy across from him groaned. "Be my boyfriend. Actually, pretend to be my boyfriend. Please."

"We don't know each other."

"I'm aware." he extended a hand. "Wen Junhui, 7th year, Slytherin. It's an honor. Please pretend to be in a relationship with me."

Wonwoo was confused, to say the least, but shook hands with him anyway. "Jeon Wonwoo, 7th year, Ravenclaw, nice to meet you. Why? And why me?"

"You're cute enough and looks friendly enough." Junhui shrugged.

"Usually, when people first meet me, they say the exact opposite."

"There's always a first time for everything." he winked. "Will you, please, pretend to be my boyfriend? I'm kind of desperate here."

"Tell me why you need me to."

"I just caught my ex making out with someone."

"So you want to make them jealous?"

Junhui cringed. "Ew, no, I don't need to stoop that low. No, I want to look as happy as possible on a new, healthy relationship. He always told me I'd never find someone better than him after we broke up, and he likes to rub at my face that he's getting some, he was making out with the person in front of me on purpose, by the way, and I need to show him that yes, I can do better than that manipulative piece of shit without shoving my tongue down someone's throat to prove it."

"Oh. That's a valid reason." Wonwoo took in all of the information. "I'm sorry to hear that your relationship wasn't healthy, no one should be put through that." he offered a simpathetic smile.

"That's very sweet of you to say." Junhui smiled back. "See? I knew I made the right choice asking you to be my fake boyfriend. You're really considerate, I appreciate that."

"It's no big deal. Look, I'm not saying I won't do it, but wouldn't it be better if you asked out someone you already liked for real? And, you know, be in a real relationship?"

"I'm not looking for a relationship right now. Just got out of a shitty one, I'm taking a break. A new friendship, however..." he turned to Wonwoo expectantly. "C'mon, it'll be fun. I promise I'm a nice person to hang out with. I'll pay for all of our fake dates on Hogsmeade."

Wonwoo pondered. The reason was valid, Junhui seemed like a good guy, he was quite the looker and plus, he deserved some happiness after his past relationship.

"Alright, let's do this."

Junhui smothered him in a hug.

-•-

Mingyu liked quidditch. A lot. He was very dedicated during practice, and twice as much during games. There was no explanation to why he was, in Seungcheol's words, "slacking off".

"I'm not slacking off!" the tall boy protested. "I'm just a little distracted!"

"You dropped the quaffle three times." Seungcheol said.

"And you didn't score, not even once." Soonyoung added. "Hansol is a terrible Keeper and even he managed to catch your shots."

There was a faint and offended "hey!" from Hansol, who really was doing his best to improve.

"Ok, maybe I'm more than a little distracted. Sorry, I'll try to focus more."

"I'll tell you what. Get some rest. Take a shower, go to the dorms, drink a cup of coffee."

"Are you serious?"

"Yeah, go ahead. You work hard most of the time, it's only fair you take a break when you're distracted or whatever you're feeling right now."

"Thanks, Cheol. Capitain. Whatever." Mingyu chuckled and got down from his broom, taking a shortcut to the prefect's bathroom — a friend of a friend had told him the password, and he thought he deserved all the bubbles and warm water and colorful foam soap right now.

He got a sense of deja vu when he heard voices on an usually quiet corridor again. He hoped it wouldn't be the same situation as earlier, but approached the voices anyway. Well, so much for hoping. There were the same three guys from before, cornering Minghao, who was now wearing gorgeous sapphires on his ears instead of jades.

They were yelling at him again, but this time one boy pulled out his wand and pointed it at Minghao, ready to hex him.

Mingyu flinched.

Minghao didn't.

Before the words could left the bully's mouth, Minghao threw himself at him, aiming a sharp kick at his hand, making him drop the wand.

"You almost broke my wand!"

"Well, you were going to do something to me." his tone was nonchalant. "Couldn't let that happen, now, could I?"

"You little-"

The other two pulled out their wands, but Minghao disarmed them in a similar fashion. Wandless, the three bullies resorted to a physical fight, which seemed to be just what the other boy wanted. He dodged and spinned with the ease of someone who had been doing that for a long time. If Mingyu was worried about him before, it passed; there was something mesmerizing about the way Minghao moved and Mingyu couldn't tear his eyes from him.

The fight ended soon, with the three bullies on the floor. They didn't seem hurt enough to have fallen down, but they looked exhausted. It was almost like Minghao had worn them out with little to no harm done.

"I hope you think twice before coming at me again." he kneeled down near the bullies. "There's more where that came from, and I couldn't care less about detention or being expelled, so I won't hold back next time like I did today." he smirked. "Take care, boys!"

Mingyu was paying attention to the exchange so when he noticed Minghao coming his way it was too late to hide and pretend he wasn't watching the whole thing. He opened his mouth to apologize, or say something, but the brunette stopped him with an index finger to Mingyu's lips. He shook his head "no" and pointed to the — still defeated — bullies, as if saying _you don't want them to know you were here, do you?_.

He grabbed Mingyu's wrist and took him to a better place to talk, another corridor. As soon as his wrist was released, the taller boy began talking.

"I'm sorry I watched the whole thing happen again and didn't try to help you sorry but I was kind of shocked because they were doing it again and then suddenly you were fighting and you look very experienced by the way and it was so fast I didn't processed what was going on and your earrings are very pretty-"

"Mingyu." the other crossed his arms.

"... Sorry."

"You were rambling."

"I do that sometimes. Sorry."

"You're apologizing a lot and I still don't know what for."

"For watching those guys bully you again and not doing anything about it." he casted his gaze down to his feet, embarassed. "And for staying there even after I saw you could handle yourself."

"Hey, it's okay. I told you I could take care of myself, right?"

"You did. I believe you. Wow. That was... wow."

Minghao laughed, and Mingyu thought it sounded like an angel. Or a cute baby. Or a cute baby angel.

"Very eloquent, Mingyu. But thanks. I hope they don't bother me again, it would be tiring. Putting up with bullies takes a lot of effort, you know?"

"I though you said you didn't care if they expelled you for fighting in empty corridors."

"Oh, I don't." there was the smirk again. It did things to Mingyu's stomach, things he didn't know what to think of. "But detention is _boring_ ", he draped himself over the wall in a tired manner. "And can you imagine my aunt's reaction to me being expelled? I wouldn't hear the end of it until I was, like, 30."

"Are you sure you're a Hufflepuff?" Mingyu raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah. You should ask my friends, I'm very loyal. Sometimes I say I'd sell them to satan for one cornchip but I don't really mean it." he nudged Mingyu's shoulder. "Are you sure you're a Gryffindor? Most lions I know would be jumping into the fight to defend my honour or something."

"Well, ask my friends. They can assure I'm very brave." he leaned closer to Minghao's ear and stage whispered. "Don't tell anyone, but one time I rescued a dog who couldn't open a door."

"A true hero."

"Or maybe the Sorting Hat was high when he sorted both of us."

"Maybe I just stole this tie from an innocent little Hufflepuff, you know, like most people think we all are."

They both laughed.

"It was nice seeing you again." Minghao said, a little softness in his voice. "Though, I must say it could have been under better circumstances."

"Yeah. I was really glad to see you again as well. And your earrings are pretty, I meant that before."

"Thanks, I make them myself."

"No way! Even the stones?"

"Yep. Hand-crafted."

"That's so cool. You're really cool, I wish I'd known you for longer. Like, since first year or so." Mingyu couldn't help the fond look he gave the other boy.

"You... You can't just say things like that to someone you just met." Minghao averted his gaze, looking everywhere but at the boy in front of him. "It doesn't work like that."

"I don't know what you're talking about, but I'm being serious. I really want to be your friend, Minghao." a pause. "Is that okay?"

"Yeah." he nodded. "I would like that."

That night, Mingyu dreamt about sparkling blues and bright smiles.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ayyy so that was chapter two, thanks for reading!! feedback is appreciated ^-^
> 
> see you next chapter!!


	3. in which terms are discussed and potions class is eventful

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey!!!! sorry it took a while, college gave me things to do and im writing two ther fics at the same time so
> 
> i hope you enjoy this chapter!!

"So, what are your thoughts on hand-holding?"

Wonwoo and Junhui were still at the library, discussing the details of their fake relationship.

"Hand-holding is okay."

Junhui nodded at the response and scribbled something on a notebook.

"So, here's what we got." he started reading his notes. "No kisses on the mouth, mutual agreement." Wonwoo nodded at that. "Things that are okay: holding hands, hugs, kisses on the cheek and forehead, lean my head on your shoulder and vice-versa."

"Don't forget piggyback rides, I agreed to that."

"Yeah, okay. Can you carry me, though?"

"Probably not."

They laughed and Junhui continued.

"Things that we're still not sure about: kisses on the nose and shoulders. And backhugs. Honestly, I don't know why you're not sure about backhugs. My backhugs are great." he said, proudly.

"Maybe, on the future. Let's just stick with that for now."

"Sure, it's okay. So, how did we meet and get together?"

"Are we going with casual or dramatic backstory?"

"Casual. It's more believable."

"Ok, so how about this: we met at the library — which is true —, you dropped a book on my feet, I picked it up for you and..." he trailed off, not knowing how to finish.

"It was a book we both enjoyed and we bonded over that. Our hands touched when you gave it back to me, it was cute, I asked you out."

"No, I asked you out. You asking me might give you the 'desperate' reputation. You know how people are."

"True. So you asked me out. And how was our first date?"

"Nice, but not perfect. I took you to the lake, we had a small picnic, I dropped my sandwich on the water."

"Cool. Oh, oh, what about this, we took a walk after that, I tripped on a root and fell."

" _Almost_ fell. I caught you."

"Cliché. I love it." Junhui closed his notebook. "Damn, we are good at this!"

"We really are." a pause. "Uh, look, are we going to fake it for the whole castle? Because I don't think my friends are going to believe it."

"Why? Are you straight?"

Wonwoo stifled a laughter.

"No, but they know I didn't know you before today."

"Oh, you're right. Well, just ask them to go with the flow. Do you think they'd mind?"

"Nah, they're chill people. They will probably adopt you into the family, though."

"I wouldn't mind." Junhui smiled. "Actually, I think I'd like that a lot."

Suddenly, he looked at the door and his face went blank. He muttered a curse under his breath.

"What happened?" Wonwoo asked.

"He's here. My ex. I don't know what to do."

"Do you feel uncomfortable being around him?"

"... Yeah. I still feel a little uneasy."

"It's okay. Do you want to hold my hand?"

"Don't you think it's too forward?"

"Well, we're already dating. If you want to take it slow, it's fine. But, if you don't mind me saying, you kind of look like you need some comfort right now."

It was true. Junhui had been over the guy for a long time, but the bad memories were still fresh and being near him still hurt. He turned to Wonwoo and saw kindness on those sharp eyes of his, and decided that he really needed comfort.

He grabbed Wonwoo's hand and the latter entwined their fingers. It felt good. Their hands fit together. Junhui tugged Wonwoo closer and rested his head on his shoulder, allowing himself to relax. The other didn't flinch and went back to reading his book, thumb occasionally rubbing soothing circles on Junhui's hand. His hand was a little calloused, but Junhui didn't mind.

His ex quickly got out of the library, not noticing the two boys. Junhui sighed in relief.

"I'm glad he's gone." he fidgeted with the sleeves of his robes. Trying to lighten the mood by changing the subject, he turned to Wonwoo. "Hey, what time is it?"

"I don't know. Why?"

"Don't want to miss dinner."

"Oh. Well, the people are still here, so we're not missing it yet. It has probably just started."

"So, uh, should we go?"

"Sure. Do you want to walk together?"

Junhui hummed affirmatively, and they got out of the window seat to make their way to the Great Hall. Wonwoo was right, dinner had just started, and they needed to go to their respective houses' table.

"So, I'll see you later?"

"Anytime you want." Junhui planted a kiss on the younger's cheek. "Take care, boyfriend."

"You too, sweets."

Junhui rolled his eyes.

"Okay, next thing to work on: pet names. That was terrible."

-•-

Minghao was good at Potions. Like, really good at Potions. He had managed to brew a perfect Draught of Peace once (he tested it). But no one really knew that, because no one paid attention to the quiet kid in the back of the classroom. He was used to that. His teachers barely acknowledged him and his classmates either ignored him or gave him dirty look for whatever reasons.

So imagine his surprise when his Potions teacher assigned him a new partner for that day's lesson.

And imagine his surprise when he saw that his new partner was Kim Mingyu of all people. Overexcitable, enthusiastic Mingyu. Tall Gryffindor kid Mingyu. Mingyu who wanted to be his friend after having one conversation and a half with him.

Yeah, it was a happy coincidence.

Mingyu was quick to take the seat by Minghao's side and give him a small wave as a greeting. The teacher started talking about what the class would be learning that day, a potion called Shrinking Solution. Minghao was taking a few notes before getting to work when he felt a presence by his side, a little too close to his ear.

"I'm actually really bad at Potions, so don't get mad at me if I screw up."

He turned to the source of the voice — a sheepish-looking Mingyu — with an eyebrow raised.

"Aren't you a little too close?"

The taller quickly pulled away from him, restoring the original distance they had between them.

"Sorry. Didn't want to disturb the class. I tend to be quite loud when I talk."

Minghao smiled simpathetically and patted Mingyu's hand on top of their shared table.

"Just warn me next time. You said you're bad at Potions? How 'bad' are we talking?"

"Uh, I may or may not have been responsible for one explosion or two."

Minghao tried not to laugh, but failed. "Sorry. But you're lucky you got paired with me today, because I'm good enough at Potions. So no explosions today."

Mingyu slapped his shoulder playfully. "Stop bringing that up!"

At that moment, someone dropped their book and the noise made both boys stop chattering and start working on the potion. Minghao guided Mingyu through the process, stopping him from accidentally adding too much of an ingredient, or adding something that shouldn't be there at all. The Gryffindor was improving, slowly, and Minghao was proud — of both of them.

"Now we need to stir." Minghao read the instructions and turned to Mingyu. "Eight times, clockwise. Do you want to do it?"

The other boy nodded, taking the wooden spoon to start stirring. Before he could get to that, Minghao put a hand over his and stirred one time. "Clockwise. Don't forget that." he smiled and went back to weighing the rest of the ingredients.

When they were done with mixing ingredients and all there was left to do was stir the liquid until it reached the desired color, Minghao offered to do it. They were silent at first, but Mingyu got bored and started some sort of 20 questions.

"What's your favorite color?"

"Favorite dessert?"

"Would you kiss a _grindylow_ for a few galleons?"

Minghao answered all of them: "purple", "strawberry cheesecake" and "depends on what you consider 'a few' galleons".

After ten questions, Mingyu got bored and started to play with the objects in his surroundings — the discarded bottles, flasks and boxes that once contained their ingredients, the sleeves of his own robes, Minghao's earring-

Wait.

Minghao stiffened when he felt a hand fiddling with his earring (today with rose-quartz stones adorning it). It was too close to his whole face, and he didn't know if his face heating up was a product of the unusual proximity between him and another human being, or because of who that "human being" was. Probably a mix of both.

"It's so pretty." the taller marveled. "Can you make me one?"

"Your ears aren't pierced."

"I didn't think about that."

"I can make you a necklace or a wristband, if you want. Or maybe a ring."

"I'd like a necklace."

Mingyu kept playing with the stones decorating the jewel and, while doing that, his fingers accidentally grazed Minghao's neck and jaw, making the boy shiver slightly. The Gryffindor noticed.

"Did I hurt you?" he asked, a little worried.

"No. I'm just not used to that, it's all. It startled me." Minghao took a deep breath and stopped stirring their potion. "I think it's done."

"The color we want is 'dark green with black undertones'." Mingyu looked at the liquid filling the cauldron. "Yeah, I think we did it."

The teacher came to check on their potion shortly after. They received a lot of compliments, which surprised them both. Surprised Mingyu because he wasn't good at Potions, and surprised Minghao because he usually didn't get noticed in this class — or any class, for that matter.

They looked at each other happily and shared a high-five while walking out of the classroom (aka the dungeons). Mingyu put his arm around Minghao's shoulders ("is this okay?" he asked. The other boy nodded.) and they walked together until they spotted their older friends waiting for them outside of the dungeons.

Junhui, Minghao's childhood friend, the same one who had a toad called Motherfucking George Sprinkles, was leaning on the wall, accompanied by a Ravenclaw boy with black hair and wire-rimmed glasses. They were talking amiably, which Minghao found odd, because he didn't know who the boy was, and Junhui usually introduced his friends to him, or at least told him who they were.

Wait a minute.

Were they... _holding hands_?

Both Junhui and the other boy waved at his direction. He looked at Mingyu and saw a puzzled look on his face, probably the same look he had on right now, so he assumed Mingyu knew the other guy.

"Hao!"

"Mingyu!"

He heard Junhui call his name and the other boy call Mingyu's, motioning them to come closer. _So Mingyu and this guy are friends, or at least know each other_.

Junhui let go of the Ravenclaw's hand to hug Minghao and squish his cheeks in that annoying-older-brother manner he had.

"Hello, Haohao. I want you to meet someone."

Minghao gave the stranger a tiny wave in advance.

Junhui turned to the black-haired boy. "Wonwoo, this is Xu Minghao, my best friend. Minghao, meet Jeon Wonwoo."

"Hi."

What his friend said next kind of made Minghao lose balance.

"We're dating."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ayy so that was it!! other characters will start to show up next chapter :)
> 
> hope you enjoyed this floof, feedback is appreciated!!
> 
> thank u for reading ✨✨
> 
> \- ani


	4. in which mingyu loses his socks and minghao makes new friends

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> heyyyy hello!! sorry if this took a while, writer's block + college assignments is a deadly combination 0/10 do not recommend. besides, im working on a new multichaptered thingy (yes i never know when to stop its a flaw) involving performance unit and soonhoon (and other cute ships n shizzle) it's going to be cool stay tuned
> 
> enjoy!!

If the Gryffindor common room could be described as warm and comfortable, the Gryffindor dorms, at least for the boys, could be described as loud. And when one of your roomates happens to be Kwon Soonyoung, it gets even louder.

It was a little late and Mingyu was trying to find a specific pair of socks, but Soonyoung decided it was a good time to dance to upbeat muggle songs. On top of his bed. And fall off of it. And of course it was Mingyu who had to put up with his antics, because Hansol — bless him — was already sleeping despite the chaos and Chan had dealt with things last time.

"Are you hurt?" the taller asked.

"No, I'm fine. No worries."

"Care to explain why you were dancing on top of your bed?"

"I was bored. I am bored. Talk to me, Gyu. Entertain me."

"Help me find my socks first."

While they were at the — surprisingly difficult — task, the topic of their Ravenclaw friend's new relationship came up.

"Do you think Wonwoo and that Slytherin guy are really dating?" Soonyoung asked.

"I don't know. He has no reason to lie to us, but we all know they didn't know each other until last week." Mingyu ruffled his bedsheets in order to find the socks. "There's no way they've been dating for three months."

"What if it's a fake relationship? I've heard of those."

"Yeah, but why would you ask a stranger, out of all people, to be your fake partner?"

"Maybe he has no friends." Soonyoung flopped on Mingyu's bed, giving up on the socks.

"That's such a sad train of thought." Mingyu threw a pillow at his older friend playfully. "Besides, I can assure he has at least one friend, because I know him. The friend, I mean."

"Oh?" Soonyoung rolled on the bed and propped his elbows on the mattress, head resting on his palms. "How come I didn't know that?"

"Because I've only known Minghao for, like, two days."

"Minghao. Is he Chinese?"

"I guess? He said he's from another country, but I didn't ask him which country it was."

"Is he a Slytherin as well?"

"Nah, he's a Hufflepuff. Why do you ask?"

"Just curious." he hugged the pillow Mingyu had thrown at him. "Come on, forget the socks. You searched the whole dorm."

"But they're my special warm socks. I put a heating charm on them so they would always keep my feet warm, and tonight is a cold night and you know how my feet get when it's cold."

"Mingyu, you're a wizard."

"And? What does that have to do with my cold feet?"

"Just use _accio_ to summon the socks, dummy."

"Why didn't you tell me sooner?"

"I forgot."

Mingyu rolled his eyes and used the spell. His socks flew to his hands immediately, rising from a pile of clothes on the other side of the room. He was quick to put them on and throw himself on his bed ungracefully.

"Ouch!" Soonyoung yelped. "You fell on my arm!"

"It's your fault for occupying my bed."

"Don't disrespect your elders, young man." the pink-haired boy reached over to flick the younger's forehead, got up and walked over to his own bed, falling on top of it dramatically.

A few moments of silence passed before Mingyu broke it.

"Soonyoung."

"Hm?"

"Would you like to meet Minghao?"

"Yeah, I guess. Why?"

"I'm going to introduce him to our friend group tomorrow. I want him to meet you guys."

"That would be fun. If you like him, he must be a good person. I trust your judgement."

Mingyu chuckled. "Thanks. He really is a nice guy." Then, his expression changed, turning a little sadder. "He deserves to be in a welcoming enviroment after, uh, what he's been through."

"What do you mean by that?"

"I don't know if I should tell without his permission but long story short he's been bullied. I won't go into details but I think making new friends would be good."

"Oh. I'm sorry to hear that. I'll make sure he feels welcomed tomorrow." a pause. "You seem very fond of him."

"Really?" Mingyu felt his face heat up. He didn't know why.

"Yeah."

"Well... We're friends, it's a natural thing."

"Uh huh. Are you sure it's just that?"

"Of course?" Mingyu was genuinely confused. "What else would it be?"

"Nothing, Gyu. Go to sleep." Soonyoung snuggled into his duvet. "Goodnight."

"Ugh, _finally_." a sleepy voice came from one of the other beds in the room. "Some of us were trying to sleep, you know."

"Sorry, Channie. We'll shut up. Goodnight."

"Goodnight, Soonyoung. Goodnight, loser."

"Hey!"

-•-

The next morning welcomed them with a light breeze outside and a wonderful smell of toast and chocolate at the Great Hall. Mingyu greeted his friends at the Gryffindor table and grabbed a muffin from the nearest plate.

He looked over at the Hufflepuff table to see if he could find Minghao. The boy was quickly spotted, his earrings drawing Mingyu's attention to him almost immediately. Today, he had emeralds adorning his ears.

Mingyu excused himself from the table and walked over to where the other boy was. Minghao seemed concentrated on his breakfast and, for a moment, Mingyu hesitated, not wanting to startle him. His worry worn off fast, though, because Minghao was the first to speak up.

"I know it's you, Mingyu. Good morning."

"Morning... How did you know it was me?"

Minghao turned to him fully. "Who else would approach me in such a friendly way?" he smiled. It didn't seem like a happy smile. "Well, besides Junhui. But his steps are lighter than yours."

Mingyu frowned. Knowing he was one of the only people who acted friendly towards the shorter boy made an unpleasant feeling spread through his body. "I want to ask you something."

The other just nodded in response.

"Would you like to meet my other friends?"

Minghao seemed taken by surprise. His eyes went wide and his cheeks flushed a light pink. _Cute_ , Mingyu thought.

Wait. Did he just think Minghao was cute?

He looked at the other boy and paid attention to him. To his soft features yet sharp gaze, his brown hair that looked ridiculously fluffy, to his manners, the way he moved his hands when he talked but hid them behind his back when he was flustered.

Hell yeah, Minghao was cute.

"Did you just say 'your _other_ friends'?"

"Yeah, I did. You're my friend too, right? We're friends?"

With a smile, a happy one this time, Minghao responded. "We are. And yes, I'd like to meet your fr- your _other_ friends."

They walked side by side, not touching like they did when they walked out of Potions class yesterday. On the way, they passed by the Ravenclaw table, where a certain Jeon Wonwoo was being affectionately greeted by a certain Wen Junhui. The copper-haired boy gave him a kiss on the cheek and stole a strawberry from his plate. He left with a fond smile, which was being mirrored by Wonwoo.

"Do you think they're really dating?" Mingyu asked his companion.

"Oh, they're not." Minghao shook his head. "Junhui told me. It's a fake relationship. Long story. Your friend will probably tell you too."

"They're very good actors, then."

"Yeah. Pretty good chemistry, if you ask me. Junhui told me they hit it off really quickly."

"Do you think they'll end up dating for real?"

"Not sure."

"I bet ten galleons they will." Mingyu smirked.

"I'm not betting that much money, sorry."

"Okay, how about candy? Loser buys the winner a candy of their choice at Honeydukes."

"Sounds fair. It's on."

They approached the Gryffindor table where Soonyoung, Chan, Hansol and Seungcheol sat and Mingyu cleared his throat to get their attention.

"Guys, I'd like you to meet someone." the four heads turned to him. "Everyone, meet Minghao. Minghao, these are Seungcheol, Soonyoung, Hansol and Chan. They're my friends from Gryffindor."

Minghao waved at them, wiggling his fingers. "Nice to meet you all."

"It's nice to meet you." Chan said politely.

"Hey, come sit with us!" Seungcheol invited.

Mingyu took a seat beside Soonyoung and Minghao occupied the space left between Mingyu and Hansol, who quickly started a conversation with the Hufflepuff.

"You didn't tell me he was cute." Soonyoung whispered to Mingyu.

"It wasn't relevant to the conversation." the taller shrugged. "It still isn't."

The pink-haired boy smirked and took a sip of his pumpkin juice. "If you say so."

At that moment, Jeonghan and Jisoo approached the table to greet their friends and boyfriend. _Mostly their boyfriend_ , Mingyu thought when both boys pressed a kiss to Seungcheol's cheek first, then proceeded to wave, say hi and smile (Jeonghan ruffled Chan's hair, but that was a common occurrence).

It's not that the three oldest from their friend group neglected the others, far from that, actually. They were just too cute to handle and Mingyu was a little bit of a bitter single, sue him.

"Oh", Jisoo noticed a non-Gryffindor sitting at their table. "Hi, Minghao."

"Uh, hello. Good to see you."

"You know each other?" Mingyu asked, regretting it immediately. "Of course you know each other, you're from the same house."

Minghao smiled. "We don't really talk, actually." he looked at Jisoo sheepishly. "Just a few greetings and acknowledging nods, you know. But Jisoo is nice to me."

"Glad to see you're making friends. These guys are nice. You're in good hands."

"You say 'these guys are nice' as if you weren't a part of the friend group." Soonyoung commented.

"You're acting like a mom chaperoning kids at a field trip again, babe." Jeonghan smiled at Jisoo, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"Well, once you become a mother, there is no turning back." Jisoo deadpanned and the boys started laughing. "But really, Minghao, I'm happy to see you here. I look forward to talk to you more, if that's alright?"

"Totally." the younger Hufflepuff nodded. "Thanks, Jisoo."

"No problem. I have to get back, guys. See you later, bye everyone, bye Cheol, bye Han." he gave each of his boyfriends a kiss and then turned to Mingyu. "Take care of Minghao." with a soft smile, he left the group.

"What did he mean by that?" Mingyu asked, confusion showing on his face.

"Oh, I have _no idea_." Soonyoung said, sarcastically.

"Wait, so, Minghao, you're a Hufflepuff." Seungcheol pointed to the boy.

"Yeah."

"So you probably know Seungkwan amd Seokmin!" Chan beamed.

"Are they the really loud ones? The two boys that narrate our quidditch games?"

"Yeah, that's them."

"I've never talked to them before. But they seem fun to be around."

"I'll introduce you to them later." Mingyu assured. Then, he lowered his voice to a whisper. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm good." Minghao answered in the same volume. "Thank you so much for doing this." he smiled and put his hand on top of Mingyu's, which was resting on the space between them on the bench.

Mingyu felt warm at the gesture and reciprocated the smile. "It's no big deal."

"It is, though. I'm very grateful."

The taller boy looked at Minghao like he was the sun. He kind of was. "You deserve it."

Beside them, Soonyoung rolled his eyes at how oblivious the two were.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> happy late birthday to the light of my life, my love, honeybunch, sugarplum, pumpkin, my sun, moon and all the stars in my sky, xu minghao!!!! i should have posted this on his bday but. Things To Do
> 
> (i did make a cute thread for him on my twitter so if u want to check it out https://twitter.com/cryptidhao/status/927705191339712515 #spon)
> 
> sorry for the lack of wonhui in this i was in the mood for some Minghao AppreciationTM and i needed to introduce the other characters (some of them at least) so yeah
> 
> as always, feedback is appreciated!! thank you for reading, see you next chapter❣️


	5. in which the ravenclaw common room is kind of loud and a fake-date happens

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hiiiii posting at 2am again loud sigh
> 
> new character in this chapter whoop whoop
> 
> enjoy!!

Common sense would say the Ravenclaw common room was quiet. Ravenclaw duo Jeon Wonwoo and Lee Jihoon would say it was true, but only when the people wanted to.

That day, they didn't want to.

There was a group of five playing some sort of card game, a group of four taking turns in playing wizard chess, some wise souls getting a headstart on homework, a few students reading and an annoying couple taking up all of the space on the biggest couch.

Wonwoo and Jihoon were sitting at a table near one of the windows, drawing and reading, respectively.

"You're not really dating that Slytherin guy, are you?"

The question came out of the blue. Wonwoo stopped outlining the Forbidden Forest's trees on his drawing and turned to Jihoon.

"What gave it away?"

"I don't know, perhaps the fact that you've never mentioned him to us before yet still claim you've been dating for more than a month."

" _Touché_." the older smiled. "We're fake dating. The reason why is a delicate topic to Junhui so I shouldn't really talk about it without his permission."

"Don't worry, I won't pry." Jihoon turned the page on his book. "Do you plan on telling the others?"

"Yeah, there's no reason not to. I think they have figured it out already, though."

"Probably."

They went back to comfortable silence. It was a good aspect of their friendship — both of them were more on the quiet side, so most of the time they spent together didn't involve lots of talking.

The next question came from Wonwoo and was more of an insinuation.

"So... Soonyoung, huh?"

Jihoon closed his book with a little too much force. "What about him?"

"Oh, nothing." Wonwoo feigned innocence. "Just wondering when you're going to acknowledge his gigantic crush on you and do something about it."

"There's nothing to acknowledge. Why are we talking about this?"

"You're both my friends and I'd like you to stop dancing around each other and at least talk about what's going on."

"If there was something going on, maybe we'd have something to talk about."

"Come on, Jihoon, you can't be serious." the older crossed his arms and rested his elbows on the tabletop. "If I had a sickle for everytime you two looked like a married couple... well, you get the idea."

Jihoon rolled his eyes. "I don't like him like that, okay? Sometimes I even wonder if I like him at all. Besides, why would I be attracted to someone who sent a bludger towards my fac-"

A loud cheer coming from the chess quartet on the other side of the room interrupted him.

"Fucking third years." he mumbled. Then, louder, he added: "I'm going to the dorm. Don't forget your sketchbook when you come upstairs."

"I won't, don't worry." Wonwoo smiled. "Sweet dreams, loverboy."

"Fuck you."

"Love you too, Hoonie."

-•-

The weekend greeted Hogwarts with autumn colors and a sweater weather. Wonwoo was happy — he loved sweater weather. He was also happy because they would be visiting Hogsmeade, and he had received a letter, delivered by a beautiful white owl, that read:

_"Hey, boyfriend!_

_It's Hogsmeade day!!! Do you want to go on a date?  
Meet me by the fountain!!_

_love,  
\- Junhui"_

There were a lot of cute doodles scattered around the paper, mostly hearts, moons and stars. Wonwoo smiled to himself. The way the letter was written was so characteristic of Junhui, it was adorable. Besides, he was really looking forward to spend some time with the Slytherin.

He met Junhui by the fountain, both wearing warm clothes and smiles on their faces. They greeted each other with a hug and Junhui kissed Wonwoo on the cheek (they seemed to be the older's favorite type of kiss).

"Hey."

"Hi."

"So... date?" the Slytherin smiled.

"Sure. Where?"

"I'm not sure. I've never been on a date here before." Junhui said, sheepishly fiddling with his sweater sleeves.

"Oh. We can go to The Three Broomsticks, then, if you want. Not very date-like, but still. Better than The Hog's Head."

Junhui rested his arms on Wonwoo's shoulders and pretended to think about a place for the date. "Hm... What about... Madam Puddifoot's?"

The Ravenclaw scoffed. "Please. Do I look like a Madam Puddifoot's patron?"

Junhui laughed. It sounded like bells ringing.

"Besides", the younger continued. "I don't think we're Madam Puddifoot's material yet. The couples that go there are just... _too_ cute."

"Are you implying we are not cute, Jeon Wonwoo?"

"Not enough to drink tea on pink mugs together, no."

"Unbelievable. We're cute as fuck, okay?" he kissed Wonwoo's nose. "Don't be a party pooper. Let's go to The Three Broomsticks."

They held hands while walking to their destination and Wonwoo tried to ignore the pink tint on his cheeks that had nothing to do with the chilly weather.

The Three Broomsticks was busy as always, but they managed to find a nice table and ordered their drinks — butterbeer, Junhui's with a sprinkle of pumpkin spice just because he could.

"So." Junhui started. "Any interests?"

"Reading." Wonwoo answered nonchalantly. "I like art, you know, I draw sometimes, but I'm not that good."

"Everyone says that. 'Oh, it's just a hobby, I'm not that good' and when you look at the person's work it's a masterpiece."

"I'm not like that, though." the younger chuckled.

"We'll see. Will I ever get the chance to see your drawings?"

"Sure, if you want to."

"Of course."

"What about you? What do you like to do?"

"I love dancing. And, uh, I play quidditch."

"Oh, cool. I'm not an avid quidditch fan, but I enjoy watching when I'm in the mood. What's your position on the team?"

"I'm a beater."

"Sounds fun. Is it really stress-relieving? My friend Soonyoung is a beater as well and he always says it is, but I don't really trust his judgement on this."

"Sometimes, yeah, it can be really good for taking your anger out." Junhui laughed. "Wait, did you say 'Soonyoung'? As in, Kwon Soonyoung, Gryffindor?"

"Yeah...? Why?"

"Uh, some of my teammates kind of hate him. They say he's irresponsible."

"He's an amazing player." Wonwoo crossed his arms.

"Hey, hey, I know! I admire him as well. But some people in Slyhterin are just... jealous, to be honest. I guess old habits die hard for some of them. They're bitter because he's a genious, a Gryffindor, and kind of cute."

"Hey!" Wonwoo slapped Junhui's hand playfully. "That's my best friend you're talking about! I don't want to hear about his cuteness, thank you very much. Besides, he only has eyes for a certain idiot who doesn't realize he loves him too."

"Don't worry, honeybunch." Junhui said in an exagerated cute voice. "You're the only one I love."

"And you say my petnames are bad."

"They're not bad, they're terrible. Did you use them with your previous significant others as well?"

"Yeah, and they liked it." Wonwoo pouted, fake-sulking.

"Well, thank Merlin you are now dating a person with actual good taste in petnames."

A pause. They looked at each other and burst out laughing.

"We're ridiculous." Wonwoo took out his glasses to wipe the laugh-induced tears that were forming on the corner of his eyes.

"We are."

"Seriously, I might drop my dreams of working at St. Mungus and go pursue an acting carreer."

"Oh, so do you want to be a doctor?" the younger nodded in response. "Me too!"

"Really?"

"Well, not exactly. I think I'd be better as a nurse, but, you know. The medical field. That's where I want to work in the future."

"I thought you wanted to be a wizard cop or something."

"Did you just call aurors 'wizard cops'?"

"I did."

Their conversation would have continued for the rest of the day, probably, but they were interrupted by a hand roughly yanking Junhui's arm and forcing him to get up from his seat.

"What the hell is this?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ayyyyy cliffhanger lmao
> 
> no gyuhao this time i wanted to make up for the lack of wonhui last chapter so yea. buT LOoK wonhoon's friendship is vvv precious okay i loved writing their scene :'))) also...... soonhoon hints..... 
> 
> wonhui banter was very fun to write i love my boys theyre so fucking soft aa
> 
> also the owl is not junhui's bc he already has a toad (george sprinkles) i thought i should make it clear
> 
> feedback is appreciated, thank you for reading ✨✨


	6. in which there is an unpleasant reencounter and minghao gets lost

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello!!!!! im back yay~~ im v happy to be posting again i took care of myself and im sure i passed 5/6 of my classes so yeah back to normal
> 
> oh, before you read: theres a little bit of violence (yknow the person grabbing junhui's arm n stuff) and harsh actions but its very very light  
> still, read carefully <3
> 
> enjoy!!

It wasn't a familiar sensation. Junhui wasn't one for violent physical contact. He wasn't one for violence, period. He had confronted a fair share of bullies during his time in Hogwarts, but never laying a finger on anyone — unlike his best friend, Minghao, who almost got caught fighting in empty corridors more than once. Sometimes Junhui wondered if their houses were switched, but that was a whole different conversation about stereotypes and hidden personality traits.

Back to the narrative, having a hand yanking his arm was not a familiar sensation to Junhui. It took him completely by surprise, and he almost didn't recognize the voice yelling at him.

"What the hell is this? Who is this guy?" the person who had grabbed him motioned to Wonwoo, who was still sitting with a dumbfounded expression, half-finished butterbeer in hands.

"Let go of me first." Junhui demanded, with a calm and collected voice.

"Will you answer me?"

"I will, just let go of my arm or I'll hex you. Do you want to start a bar fight?"

The person released his grip on the boy and crossed their arms. "So?"

Junhui sat on the chair again and grabbed his own cup of butterbeer to occupy his hands and prevent them from shaking.

"Well, Brad, 'this' is a date between me and my boyfriend."

"Your what, now?"

"Boyfriend. As in, the boy I kiss and cuddle and go on dates with and like very much." Junhui didn't know where the courage to say all those things without stuttering was coming from — sure, everything was over between Brad and him, thank Merlin, but, as he had said before, things were awkward as hell and being near him brought back bad memories.

"Huh. For how long?"

"None of your business. But a few months. Two and three quarters, kinda."

"So not too long after we broke up."

"Again, it doesn't concern you. We broke up, end of the story. I don't owe you any satisfaction."

Brad slammed his fist on the table, attracting looks from the people at the tables surrounding them. "You-"

"Leave us alone, will you?" Wonwoo spoke up in a tired voice, as if he was dealing with a stubborn child. "You interrupted our date, and now you're disturbing the rest of the patrons. Really, if you want to have a civil, respectful conversation, then be my guest, but now you're just being rude. So, please, leave us, specially Junhui, alone. He doesn't have anything else to do with you, so this whole circus is rather pointless."

With a huff and heavy steps, Junhui's ex left the Three Broomsticks. The Slytherin sighed in relief, got up from his seat in front of Wonwoo and circled the table so he could be right beside his companion and envelope him in a tight hug.

"Thank you for that." he murmured into the Ravenclaw's shoulder.

"You're welcome. Are you feeling okay?"

"Surprisingly, yes." Junhui lifted his head so he could look at Wonwoo and shoot him a smile. "You really intimidated him with those big words and cold eyes, you know."

"Yeah, people tend to be scared of me. I don't know why."

"I don't think you're scary." he said, playing with the other's hair, which was falling on his forehead. "You're just a big softie who looks a little unnaproachable."

"And yet, you approached me at the library."

"I have a sixth sense. It's a gift. I can sense cool people from a considerable distance."

They both laughed at that. After the noise died down, Wonwoo turned a little on his seat so he could face Junhui and put a hand on his shoulder.

"Hey." he spoke softly. "You did great back then. You know, standing up for yourself and against him, even though you said you felt uncomfortable around him. You did a great job. I'm proud of you."

Junhui smiled and went in for a hug again.

And if the tips of his ears were red for reasons completely unrelated to the cold, well... No one else would know.

-•-

Hogsmeade was a fun place to be. There was the Shrieking Shack, even though no one dared to enter, there were multiple places to eat and drink and hang out with your friends, there was Zonko's and Honeydukes... Yeah, Mingyu liked Hogsmeade a lot. What he didn't like, however, was losing one of his friends in the middle of the crowd of students.

So, here's what had happened: Mingyu and Soonyoung had bumped into Minghao on the train to Hogsmeade and decided to invite him to hang out with the whole gang (almost the whole gang — Wonwoo, the traitor, was on a date with his newly-announced boyfriend). They introduced him to Seokmin, Seungkwan and Jihoon and soon their not-so-little group of eleven was just wandering around the village and having playful conversations.

That, until Minghao wasn't walking with them anymore.

"Guys", Seokmin noticed. "Where's Minghao?"

_Oh, shit._

Mingyu cursed under his breath. "I'll go look for him."

"Wait, don't just go running around, you'll never find him." Jihoon reasoned. "We need to remember the last place we passed while he was walking together with us."

"Do you think he got lost?" Seungcheol asked.

"What if- what if he got kidnapped?"

"Soonyoung, shut up." Chan flicked his forehead. "We don't need this negativity."

"I remember talking to him and Kwan about our Hufflepuff shenanigans and how we've never met before despite being in the same house." Seokmin pointed out. "We passed that corner after Honeydukes and a few moments later someone brought another topic so my attention diverted."

"It's not far." Soonyoung said.

"I'll go back to see if I can find him." Mingyu volunteered.

"Do you want me to come with you?"

"You don't need to, I'll be fine."

"Okay, then. Stay safe and bring Minghao back. We will wait for you near the Three Broomsticks, okay?"

"Okay. I'll be right back."

With that, Mingyu and the rest parted ways. He started making the way back to the corner mentioned by Seokmin, paying attention to everyone and everything in order to find Minghao.

It took him 20 minutes or so, but Mingyu spotted the Hufflepuff outside Honeydukes, eating a chocolate frog, moonstone earrings dangling from his ears.

"Minghao!"

The younger boy looked up and his face lit up with a smile that tugged at Mingyu's heartstrings. _Wait, what?_

Mingyu approached him. "Is everything okay? Did you get lost? You got separated from the group..."

"Yeah, uh, I stayed behind a little to look at some shop's display window and when I looked around you guys were gone. So I figured I should go to a place more crowded and frequented, just in case one of you or someone else I know passed by. Came here and decided to buy some candy while I waited." Minghao lifted a bag with the Honeydukes logo. "Want some?"

"N-No, thanks... Well, I'm glad to know everything's okay. We were worried."

"Sorry. I'll warn you next time."

"Don't be sorry, it was our fault for not paying attention."

"It's okay."

Mingyu took a deep breath, thinking about his next words. "Can I hug you?"

"Sure, but why?"

The Gryffindor enveloped Minghao in a warm hug. "It's just... I'm happy to see you." he answered, softly.

"Oh. I'm happy to see you too." they pulled back from the hug. "Are you sure you don't want any candy? I have cauldron cakes..." Minghao sing-sung, taking out from the bag a tiny cauldron, chocolate cake visible on the inside.

"Okay, those are my weakness. Gimmie." Mingyu made grabby hands at the cake, but Minghao held it out of his reach.

"Uh-uh. Magic word first."

"Accio?"

"Not _that_ type of magic word, Mingyu."

"Pretty please?"

Minghao chuckled. "There you go. Catch!" he threw the cake at the taller boy, who managed to catch it, albeit awkwardly.

"Thank you." Mingyu said, with a mouthful of cake. Between bites, he suggested to go meet the others, to avoid any more worried. Minghao agreed, and they ate the rest of the candy together while walking to the Three Broomsticks, where they decided to meet at.

When they got there, Minghao was greeted by whoops, at least three hugs and a dramatic _"thank Merlin you're alive!"_ from Soonyoung. They also noticed two boys who weren't with them before chatting with Jihoon.

"Junhui?" Minghao called. The Slytherin turned to his direction and smiled.

"Hao! I'm glad you're okay. Honestly, how did you manage to get lost?"

"I stopped to look at a display window and, well... I might have spent too much time doing it."

"You're such an airhead sometimes." Junhui huffed, with a little pout. Then, he noticed Mingyu standing beside his best friend. "Oh, and you are?"

Before the Gryffindor could answer, Wonwoo showed up and wrapped an arm around Junhui's waist. "That's Mingyu, my childhood friend, kind of my little brother."

"Oh, right, he's the one I haven't met yet!"

"Mingyu, this is Junhui, my fake boyfriend."

"You two don't seem fake." Mingyu commented.

"That's the point, dumbass."

Junhui stifled a laugh and extended his hand for Mingyu to shake. "It's nice to meet you."

"Likewise. Good luck with this one. Even if you two are fake, he can be annoying as shit sometimes. So yeah."

"Shut up, Mingyu." Wonwoo slapped his shoulder.

The time soon came for them to go back to Hogwarts. The 13 of them couldn't fit on one compartment, so they had to split up into three. Mingyu ended up on the same compartment as Minghao, and the younger was quick to make Mingyu's shoulder his pillow.

"I'm tired." he yawned. "Can I nap here?"

"Uh, sure. Go ahead. I'll try not to move too much."

"'Kay."

It wasn't long until he was out to dreamland and Mingyu was left with a weird, tingly, warm feeling in his chest for some unknown reason.

Yeah, something was definitely wrong with him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ayyy i gave junhui's ex the most generic name ever bc hes not important and it was 1am i didnt want to think of cool names
> 
> so yeah as always feedback is appreciated!! tysm for reading, see you all next chapter ✨✨


	7. in which the library is a bit too much and post-herbology is eventful

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hi im sosososo sorry for the lack of updates!!! im going to be honest it was 60% bc of physical health issues, 30% bc of mental health issues and 10% bc of traditional laziness and other problems  
> i got most things sorted out, so i hope to be able to update more frequently!!
> 
> apology said, so enjoy!!

Contrary to popular belief, the library wasn't much of a haven for Lee Jihoon. Sure, it wasn't a bad place to be, but he would rather find his inner peace in the quiet of his dorm, or the Ravenclaw common room when it was empty (a rare, but much appreciated occurrence).

The library may be quiet and cozy and all those things Wonwoo always talked about, but it was also full of people, and some of them annoyed Jihoon to no end. For example: the couples. There was no need to be all sweet and cutesy at the same place some people were on the verge of eating their own arms because of studying-induced stress.

Unfortunately, Jihoon would have to put up with the library for a while. He had agreed to help Soonyoung with Arithmancy. Both boys were sitting at one of the tables with Wonwoo and his new (fake) boyfriend, Junhui. The duo had decided to tag along and use the time to get started on some homework or just relax and read.

It often crossed Jihoon's mind how those two were just too good at faking a relationship. He was amazed by their chemistry, considering the little time they've known each other. They were currently sitting side by side, shoulders touching; enough to prove they were a couple, but not too much so it would become suspicious. At one point Junhui would pinch Wonwoo's waist, to which the younger would respond with a quiet yelp and a light slap on the Slytherin's shoulder.

Disgusting. Jihoon wanted to kick them out and tell them to get a room, but Wonwoo was his friend so he kept quiet and focused on what he had come to the library for.

Right. Arithmancy. Soonyoung. Ok.

"So," he started, turning to the Gryffindor. "What exactly is your problem with Arithmancy? Do you have, like, doubts, or-"

"Everything." Soonyoung interrupted. "I can't understand a single thing in that class."

Jihoon sighed. "I can't help you with everything, Soonyoung."

"Of course you can. You're like, super smart."

"I'm smart, not a miracle worker."

"Please? I can't fail that class. Come on, Jihoonie, help a friend out."

There it was. That nickname. _Jihoonie_. He recalled his grandma used to call him that when he was a child, but stopped as he became older. When they were 16, Soonyoung decided to bring it back, but, instead of being annoyed, Jihoon found it oddly endearing. Of course, he didn't show it, but it kind of became his soft spot. Jihoon was certain Soonyoung knew it. He had to, otherwise he wouldn't be using the nickname as persuasion.

"I can try. But you need to cooperate too, okay? Focus. No fooling around."

"Alright, alright, you're the boss."

They spent a good portion of time going over some concepts of Arithmancy. When they were finished, Jihoon asked for Soonyoung to sum up what he managed to grasp. He did, and got everything right.

"I think we're done for the day." Jihoon announced, tapping twice on the tabletop with his fingers.

"Already?"

"You're a fast learner."

"You're a good teacher."

Jihoon rolled his eyes and was ready to leave the table and get some well-deserved rest when Soonyoung's hand found its way to the younger's shoulder.

"Thank you."

"No problem. I'm glad I could help."

Soonyoung gave Jihoon's shoulder a light squeeze, but didn't retract his hand. In fact, he just used it to play with the shorter's hair.

"Your hair is getting longer." he smiled, fingers toying with the hazelnut-brown strands that now were almost covering Jihoon's ears. Then, he put the same strands behind the other boy's ear in a soft manner, slow and caring.

Jihoon cursed himself for leaning into the touch.

The thing was, Jihoon didn't hate Soonyoung's over-affectionate behaviour. No, that was never the point. He was, in fact, scared of growing fond of it. Scared of liking it a bit too much.

Because Soonyoung's touch was warm. It was delicate and gentle. Soonyoung himself, though, was very much not delicate and gentle. He was loud, hyper, too intense — he sent a bludger straight towards Jihoon's face, on accident, but still, enough proof of how unaware of his surroundings he could get. And that contrast between his personality (which wasn't bad, it was just a handful) and his actions scared Jihoon to no end.

He was scared of falling for his warm hugs and forehead kisses and getting wrapped around Soonyoung as a whole, unable to untangle himself from the boy he swore as a "walking health hazard". Even simpler, he was scared of falling, period. He didn't want to.

And yet here he was, closing his eyes and smiling at the gentle hand that put his hair behind his ear. Sometimes, his self-control faltered. It wasn't his fault. Soonyoung was just so warm.

"I should get a haircut." he replied after getting out of his trance.

"Suit yourself. But i like it the way it is."

Jihoon didn't blush. He didn't.

"Maybe I should dye it. Blonde? Lilac? Or, perhaps, back to black? I kinda miss my natural hair."

"Red would look good on you." Soonyoung smiled. "Hey, you could dye it for Gryffindor's first quidditch match! Red, to cheer for us."

"I'll think about it." the shorter shrugged.

"Do you want to come and watch our practice? It's next Friday."

"And have you sending a bludger to my face again? No, thanks, I'll keep a safe distance."

Soonyoung smiled again and got up from his seat. He placed a small kiss at the top of Jihoon's head.

"See you tomorrow, Ji."

-•-

Herbology was one of Minghao's favorite subjects. Professor Sprout was one of the only teachers who acknowledged his existence and knew he was a good kid — maybe because she was the Head of the Hufflepuff house and knew Minghao since he was 12, or maybe because she was an overall kind person.

This time, however, Minghao wasn't enjoying herbology. Because they were working in pairs for the day's class, and he knew it would get weird, because he didn't know anyone in that class. Or, well, at least he thought.

"Hey, Minghao, wanna pair up with me?"

The chinese boy turned his head to see Seokmin, with his hands behind his back, smiling.

"Oh." Minghao was surprised, to be honest. "Of course. Thank you."

He saw the older Hufflepuff look somewhere in the greenhouse and make a thumbs-up sign. He followed Seokmin's gaze and saw Mingyu, who waved when he was noticed. Minghao waved back, a little confused.

"I was going to be his partner for today, but he asked if I could pair up with you instead so you wouldn't get stuck with someone you don't know." Seokmin explained. The younger was a little surprised, but he shrugged, setting up the things they needed for the lesson.

When the class ended, Professor Sprout asked Minghao if he could stay and tend to some plants while she worked at Greenhouse 3. He nodded, grabbing new gloves and getting to work.

He was surprised by Mingyu looking over his shoulder at the vase he was currently filling with soil.

"What is this?"

"It's soil. Also, too close."

"Sorry." the taller took a step back. "Are you helping Professor Sprout with the plants, then?" Minghao nodded. "Can I help?"

"Sure. Apron, then help me fill these vases."

"Aye, aye, capitain."

Theu spent a few minutes on the task, getting their hands dirty, talking about whatever came up and playing with the plants' leaves.

"Hey, Minghao."

"Hm?"

"What's your favorite plant?"

The Hufflepuff seemed to think for a moment, before cracking a smile.

"Mandrakes."

Mingyu looked confused. "But they're noisy! And their screams can kill people!"

"Unwarned people." Minghao corrected, lifting up his index finger. "No sane person would listen to a madrake's scream on purpose."

"Yeah, but still..."

"Mandrakes are noisy, dangerous and weird. But they're also one of the strongest medicine components in the whole magic world. They can kill, but they can also save lives. I like that duality. They're unique, and special. I like what's unique and special." He looked out of the greenhouse's glass panels and his smile turned a little sad, longing. "I think that's why I wear those earrings. Why I like mandrakes. I want to be unique and special, too."

"You are." Mingyu said, firmly. He approached the other boy slowly, as he didn't seem in his best state at the moment. "You're a very unique person. And you're really special to me. To our friends."

"I don't know. Sometimes I feel like the more I want to stand out in a positive way, the more I blend in with the crowd or stand out in a bad way."

Mingyu's mind was a flurry on fond thoughts about Minghao. Minghao's soft hair, his cool earrings, his voice, face, personality — and thoughts about how special and unique he was. He wanted to tell Minghao that no, he didn't stand out in a bad way. He took another step towards the younger, leaving almost no distance between them. If Minghao was okay, he would have said "too close" like he did eariler. But, as expected, no snarky remark had left his mouth.

The Gryffindor cupped Minghao's cheek tenderly. He wasn't in control of his actions anymore. His mind was constantly in a loop of _Minghao, Minghao, Minghao, special Minghao, beautiful Minghao, unique Minghao-_

He leaned in.

A hand on his chest stopped him from going farther.

"I think you just got soil on my face."

Mingyu jolted away as if he had been burned. He wanted to say sorry for, what, almost kissing Minghao, but technically nothing had happened, so he just mumbled an apology for getting the Hufflepuff's face dirty.

"I- uh- where can I..." he looked at the dirt marking his hand. "Where can I wash my hands?"

"There's a sink over there." Minghao pointed, to which the taller nodded and went to wash his hands. Minghao, on the other hand, had already cleaned them on his apron.

Mingyu quickly excused himself to his common room, hoping he didn't look or sound as nervous as he was. Minghao seemed to understand, after all, staying after a class for that long is not a task everyone would be happy to fulfill.

On his way back, Mingyu was in a dicotomy between overthinking and not thinking at all. Overthinking about what he did, the reason why he did it, and about what would happen when he encountered Minghao again. And not thinking at all because he would have liked to finish what he started. He would like to taste Minghao's lips, to run his fingers through his hair, to kiss his ridiculously cute nose, to look into his beautiful doe eyes and see something in them. He wanted to hold Minghao in his arms, to cup his face and tell him he's the most beautiful person Mingyu has ever met, both inside and out. And that was scary, because it could only mean one thing.

_Do I..._

_Do I like Minghao?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> idk mingyu. do you??  
> i dont have much to say here hehe im sorry again for taking so long  
> feedback is appreciated, thank for reading, see you next chapter!! <3


	8. in which mingyu needs his best friend and a date at the lake is not that pleasant

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> YES I AM ALIVE!! lots of things happened that made me lose all motivation to write (if you read my other fics you've probably heard that) but i think im getting the hang of writing again so uhh lETS PRAY
> 
> w/o further ado, enjoy~

Mingyu rolled in bed that night thinking about his possible feelings for Minghao. It wasn't an easy thing to deal with — Mingyu knew he liked boys, that wasn't the issue, but this specific boy was such a peculiar case that he couldn't help but lose his sleep over it. Why did he fall so fast? How did he fall so fast? Did he really fall, or was this just a flimsy crush? How can Minghao hold the entire universe in his eyes?

 

Wait. That was an intrusive thought.

 

Mingyu sighed, rubbing his face with his hands. He couldn't deal with this on his own, he needed to tell someone, if not to get advice, to at least let out everything that he had bottled up inside him.

 

I really need to tell someone, he thought. I need my best friend.

 

His best friend, in case, was Wonwoo. Jeon Wonwoo has always been a part of Mingyu's life, and he couldn't imagine what living without the black-haired boy would be like. Wonwoo also had a close friendship with Soonyoung, in a somehow different way than he had with Mingyu. It was hard to explain, but their dynamics were different — in the end, Wonwoo loved his Gryffindors (as he liked to call them) very much, and equally.

 

Now, Mingyu couldn't wait until breakfast to talk to Wonwoo. There wasn't a chance he would get any sleep without letting all his worries out, so he needed to talk now. And talking to Wonwoo right now meant sneaking into the Ravenclaw common room, and that, my friend, was a challenge.

 

First challenge: not getting caught. Mingyu didn't know what time it was, but he was certain everyone else was sleeping, or at least at their dorms (as he should), because one of Hogwarts' rules was not to roam on the corridors past curfew. And there he was, breaking the rules.

 

Getting out of the common room wasn't that hard — all that time spent at the castle gave Mingyu some life experience. The Fat Lady was asleep, and waking her up might have caused a little commotion (her screams were no joke), but over the years she had grown fond of Mingyu, so she let it slide with only a “sorry”. Finding the Ravenclaw common room, now that was hard. Mingyu was tricked by the moving stairs at least three times before he found the tower.

 

With that came the second challenge: entering. Instead of the other common rooms, that required a password for the person to come inside, Ravenclaw's required an answer to a riddle, and rumour has it they weren't easy at all. When approaching the room's door, Mingyu pondered if he could say “fuck off” as an answer. He figured it wasn't a very polite thing to do, so he discarded it as an option.

 

After all, the riddle wasn't that hard — the answer was “death”. Why did those riddles have such morbid answers all the time? It was getting kind of predictable. Take notes, Ravenclaw common room. Step up your game.

 

Once he was inside the big circular room, Mingyu was expecting to find no one there, figuring they would all be sleeping. He was, however, surprised to see his other Ravenclaw friend, Jihoon, writing by the fireplace. He opened his mouth to say hi, but Jihoon turned his head towards the door where he stood and beat him to it:

 

“What the fuck, Mingyu.”

 

“Hi...”

 

“No, really, what the fuck? What are you doing here? How did you even get here?” the older boy shut his notebook rather loudly — as a muggleborn, he often brought muggle stationary to Hogwarts. He hated parchments and never used them unless it was absolutely needed.

 

“Uh, I need to talk to Wonwoo.” Mingyu answered, sheepishly.

 

“And it couldn't wait until breakfast?”

 

“It really can't. It's important and I can't sleep because of it.”

 

Jihoon sighed. Everyone who didn't know him well usually called him cold and distant, and very short-tempered. He didn't really deny that last one, but his close friends could tell that Jihoon was actually really empathetic and cared a lot about who he loved — which, turns out, was a considerable ammount of people.

 

Ha. Take that, random prejudicial people of Hogwarts. Jihoon loves his friends and is a big sweetheart.

 

“Do you want me to go upstairs and get him for you?” he offered. “You can't go to our dorms anyway, only Ravenclaws allowed. The stairs would kick you out.”

 

“Oh, I'd like that. Thanks, Jihoon.”

 

With that, Jihoon went to the stairs that led to the boys' dorms. A few minutes passed before he came back with a sleepy-looking Wonwoo, hair disheveled and eyes barely open. He yawned before greeting Mingyu.

 

“Hi, Gyu.” the older blinked before continuing. “What's up? Is something bothering you?”

 

“Yeah, kind of... So, something happened and I'm maybe overthinking it and losing sleep over it and-“

 

“I'm gonna give you guys some privacy.” Jihoon spoke up. “I'm going to sleep, goodnight guys, don't stay up too late, okay? It'll bite you in the ass.”

 

“Yeah, we won't.” Wonwoo smiled. “Thanks, Hoonie, sleep well.”

 

“G'night, Jihoon, don't let the narguilees bite.” Mingyu waved at the shorter boy, who scoffed and went upstairs.

 

“So.” Wonwoo started. “What happened that made you lose your sleep?”

 

“I almost kissed Minghao and I think I like him.”

 

“You did what?”

 

“Almost-“

 

“No, no, I understood, I'm just... a little surprised. Didn't think you would be that bold.”

 

“Neither did I, he just looked so... We were talking about not feeling special and he said some stuff that made me want to protect him, you know, I was overwhelmed with... something... I can't explain, really, but my chest felt warm and I just... leaned in.”

 

“And what stopped you?”

 

“He said I got soil on his face. Because I cupped his cheek and we were taking care of the plants before so my hands were dirty...”

 

Wonwoo chuckled and patted Mingyu's shoulder. “That's kind of cute. You care a lot about him, that's nice. Let's sit down, okay, so you can ramble more comfortably. Don't give me that face, I know you're going to ramble.”

 

They went over to the biggest couch, taking advantage of the fact that the room was empty so there was no competition to sit there.

 

“Now, tell me.” Wonwoo crossed his legs and rested one elbow in each knee, hands supporting his chin. “Why is this making you overthink and lose sleep?”

 

“Because it's weird.” Mingyu pouted. “What if I really like him? I know him for, like, a month. If I really like him, if it's not just a crush... That's a very short time if we're talking about falling for someone. It's... it's scary.”

 

“Some people take years to fall in love. Some people take two days. It's ok, Gyu. It may be scary at first, to fall for him without even realizing, but it's ok.”

 

“But I'm not... in love with him.”

 

“Yet.”

 

“Shut up.”

 

“Seriously, now. There's nothing wrong with your feelings. It's okay to feel a strong emotion after a short period of time. I mean, some people become friends within minutes, right? Why would romantic feelings be any different?”

 

Mingyu threw his head back, tired, letting it rest against the cushions. “I guess you're right.” He turned to look at Wonwoo. “But how do I deal with these... feelings?”

 

“How am I supposed to know?” the older chuckled, sympathetic. “Look, Gyu, these feelings are yours and they concern you and only you. I can gladly give you advice whenever you want, but I can't tell you how to deal with them. I'm not the one feeling them, you know? For example, I'd say you should tell him. Do you think that's the right decision?”

 

“No!! Not yet, at least. It's too soon.”

 

“There you go. I may be smart and a good listener, but I don't know what's happening in you heart.” Wonwoo smiled softly and poked Mingyu's chest in the spot where the heart is. “You know what's going on there. You know what's best for you, and for Minghao too.”

 

“Hmpf.” Mingyu crossed his arms. “Feelings are weird.”

 

“Yeah, tell me about it. Do you feel better?”

 

“I do.” the younger smiled. “Thanks for hearing me out and for the advices. You're the best. I love you.”

 

“I try.” Wonwoo shrugged, feigning nonchalance. “For the record, I'm rooting for you two.”

 

“Thanks!” the other boy beamed. “I think I'm gonna head back. It's late and I've been out for a long time.”

 

“Yeah, you prick. Don't put yourself at risk again, dummy.”

 

“I won't. Bye, Won, see you tomorrow!”

 

“Bye, Gyu, sleep well. Dream of Minghao!” Wonwoo added with a cheeky grin.

 

Mingyu stuck out his tonge. “Fuck off.”

 

-•-

 

If you asked Wonwoo what his favorite part of fake-dating Junhui was, he would say “the dates”. Not only were Junhui's date ideas really nice, his company was also amazing. To Wonwoo, most Slytherins — despite being nice people — came off as a little bitchy sometimes, but Junhui had a pure side to him Wonwoo had never seen in anyone he's met — Slytherin or not. Talking to him came easily, almost effortlessly, proving the so-called “chemistry” his friends always said they had.

 

Of course, Junhui had his bitchy side. Wonwoo would never forget that time they almost fought in front of the library — he didn't recall the exact reason, but Junhui was being stubborn and it took a lot of willpower to not engage in a discussion, or a fight for that matter. In the end they both admitted they were, in their own words, dumbasses, and carried on.

 

All in all, Wonwoo enjoyed being Junhui's friend (and fake boyfriend), enjoyed his company and enjoyed their “dates”. A lot. But don't tell anyone that. It's a secret.

 

(It totally isn't.)

 

They were sitting near the Lake on a Sunday, just talking to each other and watching a group of students trying to summon the giant squid to the surface. Wonwoo was sitting between Junhui's slightly spread legs, back against his chest, waist embraced by his arms. It was a comfortable position — their bodies seemed to fit perfectly. The weather was just a litte cold, but Junhui was very warm, so it made up for the wind messing up his hair.

 

Wonwoo closed his eyes to just revel in that nice moment. It was like they had no worries at all. Only each other.

 

A voice cut through his thoughts.

 

“Hey.”

 

Both Wonwoo and Junhui looked up. A boy, not much younger than them, was standing with an annoyed expression adorning his face.

 

“Can we help you?” Junhui asked.

 

“You two are not really dating, are you?”

 

Wonwoo froze. He tried not to show his nervoussness at the perspective of their act being discovered, but it was hard. Junhui, on the other hand, remained calm.

 

“What makes you think that?”

 

“Well, for once, I've never seen you two kiss. And, like, it hasn't been long since you broke up with that other guy. I'm pretty sure you two are faking it to make him jealous.”

 

Junhui sighed. “As if I'd go through the effort to make that asshole jealous. Look, are you my roommate?”

 

“What?” the boy looked confused. “Of course not! Why do you-“

 

“Then, are you Wonwoo's roommate?”

 

“No...? I'm not a Ravenclaw, how could I possibly be his r-“

 

“There's your answer. If you were mine or his roommate you would have seen us kiss plenty of times.” he grinned. “We have our fair share of complaints from them, actually, right, babe?” he nudged Wonwoo with his arm. “Remember that time when-“

 

“Shh”, Wonwoo slapped his forearm lightly, relaxing back into his chest. “Don't go into details, the kid clearly doesn't wanna hear it.”

 

“I don't buy this. I don't buy this at all.” the standing boy crossed his arms.

 

“You don't have to 'buy it', or whatever.” Junhui tightened his hold on Wonwoo. “We're dating, we're happy, and I'm pretty sure I've found the love of my life, so please leave us alone, okay?”

 

The love of his life. Wonwoo's stomach did a funny twist upon hearing that. Wait, what? What was wrong with his stomach? And why was his face so warm?

 

The boy scoffed. “You can't possibly be serious. C'mon, man, he can't be the love of your life afte a few months.”

 

“For Merlin's sake, what is it to you?” At this point, Junhui let go of Wonwoo's waist to fuss with his own hair out of annoyance. “Just go smooch your own significant other and leave us alone.”

 

The boy's expression faltered. “I- I don't have a... uh-“

 

With that, Wonwoo smirked. “Probably because you've been too busy sticking your nose in other couples' lives.” He said, effectively shutting the kid up. “Want some advice? Stop doing that. Find someone. Live your life. Be happy. And don't bother us anymore, okay?”

 

The boy rolled his eyes. “This is ridiculous. I'm still sure you two are fake.”

 

Junhui shrugged. “Whatever.” his hands found their way around Wonwoo's waist again, caressing his tummy softly, tickling him and making him half-hide his giggling face in the older's chest.

 

That seemed to do the trick, making the boy go away stomping his feet. When they were sure he was out of sight, they sighed in relief.

 

“That was...”

 

“So fucking close.” Wonwoo finished Junhui's sentence. “Imagine being that obssessed over other people's lives.”

 

“Yikes.” Junhui cringed. “But hey, that thing you said. That was awesome, I really thought you shut him up.”

 

“Unfortunately, it took a little more than that.”

 

“Yeah. I didn't know you were ticklish.”

 

“You never asked...”

 

“Oh, because that's a very normal thing to ask on a casual conversation. 'Hey, are you, by any means, ticklish?'” That made Wonwoo burst out laughing. “See? It's ridiculous!”

 

“You're funny.” he leaned up and kissed Junhui's cheek, aware of the other students around them.

 

Junhui responded by tickling his sides and, at the same time, leaning in to whisper a “And you're the best.” in his ear.

 

At the same time laughter bubbled up from Wonwoo's throat, a shiver ran down his spine.

 

And he didn't know what to make of it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> if u made it here, congrats!!!! thank you for reading, hope you liked it  
> as always, feedback is highly appreciated (bc it motivates me yay!!!)  
> see you next chapter, love yall <3


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